NU boys volleyball squad escapes in 5 sets over Del Oro

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“Crazy, simply crazy,” quipped Marco Salcedo. “It was a Monday!”

Nevada Union’s boys volleyball team snuck by Del Oro in five tough and precarious sets in Loomis.

Buoyed by a strong match by Bobby Curtis as well as seven straight points to start the second set by Evan Kittle, the Miners survived their encounter with the Golden Eagles 21-25, 25-18, 21-25, 31-29, 15-13.

It was anything but an easy contest for the undefeated Miners.

There were few runs throughout the match. However, it was the Miners that parlayed their only three series of points into victory. Aside from Kittle’s seven straight in Game 2, Bobby Curtis came up with a strategic stretch in Game 4. Down 15-11, Curtis had two of his 27 kills and three service points as the Miners surged ahead to stay, 17-16. The 31-29 victory in Set 4 was a symbol of how hard fought this match was. NU had eight set points before finally finishing off the Golden Eagles.

In a Set 5 that seemed destined for failure, NU trailed 11-8. Mason Salcedo served up five straight points and the Miners snuck out of Del Oro winning by the most narrow of margins.

Lucas Vojak had nine kills.

In the post game, he stated, “We have to come into each game expecting the worst.”

Curtis added, “The first three games were a surprise. We are a better team but they wanted it more. I didn’t have my head in the game.”

He concluded, “I have been telling everyone at school we were going to have an undefeated season and I was not going back a loser.”

For the Miners, it was a wake-up call. In many respects, Del Oro outgunned NU. Connor Drake was a monster for the Golden Eagles. They stayed with NU all night and came within an eyelash of handing the Miners their first league defeat of the season.

As close as it was, NU (17-4, 3-0 SFL) found a way to take this one home. They snuck out of Del Oro a winner. They grabbed a Sierra Foothill League match they could have just as easily lost. Yet, good teams find ways to win games and NU did exactly that on this night.

It is on to Roseville for a 6 p.m. tilt Wednesday with the Tigers.

Jim Adams lives in Nevada City and is a regular contributor to The Union and a broadcaster for TouchDown Productions. Contact him at adamses@inreach.com.